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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26644861">Golden Eyes</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Oliver__Niko/pseuds/Oliver__Niko'>Oliver__Niko</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Sylvix Week 2020 [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe, Cat entity!Felix, Celtic Mythology &amp; Folklore, Light-Hearted, M/M, Mythology - Freeform, Oblivious Felix Hugo Fraldarius, Spirits, Sylvain Jose Gautier Being Sylvain Jose Gautier</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-09-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 09:21:05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>4,327</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26644861</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Oliver__Niko/pseuds/Oliver__Niko</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Sylvain is a traveller on a journey. He is immediately charmed by a spiritual entity watching over a forest, and the two quickly enjoy each other's company.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Felix Hugo Fraldarius/Sylvain Jose Gautier</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Sylvix Week 2020 [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1936372</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>40</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Sylvix Week 2020 Fic Collection</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Golden Eyes</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Ahh I've been so excited for this day of posting! As soon as I saw there was a mythology prompt, I just had to do something with Welsh culture. And so, this is something strongly inspired by pwca/púca, but all you need to know is. Catboy.</p><p>I hope you enjoy!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The sunset is beautiful again, as it always is. A symbol of freedom. Sylvain remembers all the times this sky felt so far away, as though he could never reach it. Literally, he still can’t; in his mind, however, he can stretch out his hand and take it within his grasp.</p><p>His steps bring him to a stop. He’s already walked a great distance today. It would do him no harm to rest for now, whip up something (only just edible) to eat and watch the rest of the sunset as he does so. And so, this is exactly what he plans to do, settling himself on the ground.</p><p>He takes the lance attached to his back and places it next to him. The bones which jitter at its end still cause him to shudder at times, although since using it to help others rather than for his family’s wishes, he realises it’s all about <em>how</em> he uses this powerful weapon, not whom it destroyed in the past.</p><p>Sylvain takes some firewood he has gathered along the way and sets them up in front of him. His fingertip drawls a sigil in the air, bringing about a fireball which sets the wood alight. It’s a brilliant sight in the darkening scenery. Little is more beautiful to him than all these warm colours. Reds, yellows and oranges swirling together in the sky, and these dancing flames.</p><p>He takes out some meat he prepared earlier—boar meat, to be precise, although to save space on his travelling, he cut and cleaned the meat earlier to prepare it. The total quantity should last him for several meals.</p><p>The meat is soon prepared on a branch set over the fire. He turns it occasionally, also preparing some vegetation he found with his knife. How much of a natural he is by now is almost strange, especially when he once lived in luxury. And why would one choose this seemingly more difficult way of life, rather than what is meant to be simpler?</p><p>The answer is simple: the life he led years ago granted him nowhere near as much happiness.</p><p>Soon, it’s time for him to eat. He removes his gloves at last, placing them to one side and picking up the rock he cleaned earlier to place his food on. This took some time to become accustomed to in itself, but it’s normal to him by now, even with how he often stays at inns.</p><p>For now, eating something outdoors is delicious … Or as delicious as his unpolished cooking skills can conjure, anyway. He has a smile on his face as he swallows and flickers his gaze back to the sunset. This smile fades slightly over how uneasy it makes him. Oranges and reds alike have deepened, clouds the colour of blood staining the sky, although it’s only a sunset in reality.</p><p>During his meal, he glances at his bag and possessions, ensuring nothing has happened to them. It turns out this is exactly what he should have done sooner when he realises a glove is missing.</p><p>“Oh, come on,” groans Sylvain. “I’ve only just started my meal.”</p><p>Regardless, he places it to one side—popping his lance next to it for good measure, as animals don’t tend to approach this strange weapon—and gets to his feet. It doesn’t take long to find the missing glove. It has ended up behind some bushes nearby. Although when Sylvain returns to his spot by the fire, the other glove is gone instead.</p><p>“You’ve <em>got </em>to be kidding me.”</p><p>Sylvain places the glove in his pocket and, after a quick moment of thought, scatters some nuts on the ground. Perhaps if this is a squirrel or other rodent, it will be enticed by this food rather than Sylvain’s possessions instead.</p><p>When Sylvain, however, retrieves the second glove (this one had been caught in some branches on a bush), there has been no sign of animals getting into his food <em>or </em>possessions. Thinking they have decided to leave him alone, Sylvain prepares to continue his meal.</p><p>Only he’s stopped again. This time, it’s by a strange tugging on his belt. He peers down, trying not to move, and finds a navy cat trying to remove his bag of money attached to it.</p><p>“<em>Excuse me.”</em></p><p>The cat startles, dashing away from Sylvain and halting a small distance away. Its eyes stare back at Sylvain, and … holy shit. Glowing amber, almost golden, bright enough to illuminate its entire face in their darkening surroundings.</p><p>“You can’t be a normal cat, can you? Mind telling me why you’re stealing my belongings?”</p><p>The cat merely tilts its head. It doesn’t seem to be frightened. Rather, there’s something about the tail wagging slowly which tells Sylvain the opposite. Almost as though its moment of fleeing had been a game.</p><p>Sylvain’s mind wanders, trying to think of any myths he knows of creatures in the area … And that’s when it hits him. Dark fur, glowing eyes, this sense of mischievousness—he knows what all of this could mean. “Are you a pwca in cat form?”</p><p>The cat merely blinks. Not exactly helpful. It creeps towards Sylvain, eyes fixed on him, before it darts forward, ignoring the Lance of Ruin completely as it scoops up Sylvain’s boar meat and sprints away.</p><p>“<em>Hey!” </em>Sylvain shouts after it. “I was just about to eat that!”</p><p>The assumed pwca doesn’t care. In fact, it doesn’t even plan on eating the meat. It simply tosses it into some soil, using its paws to absolutely cover the thing. Once satisfied, it sits down, blinking at Sylvain innocently.</p><p>Unbelievable. “Fine. Whatever. It’s not as though that boar didn’t have plenty of meat on it.”</p><p>Sylvain proceeds to cook more of the meat. He eyes the cat warily, waiting for it to approach and steal yet more of his possessions, although it seems to be planning on staying put for now. Merely watching. It’s eerie in a sense, but also … enchanting. The lack of movement gives Sylvain the chance to see how lovely this smooth, navy fur actually is.</p><p>He manages to finish the meat without incident. Humming to himself and trying to ignore the pwca continuing to stare at him, Sylvain glances at the horizon. By now, evening has fallen, with only a hint of sunset left behind. He avoids travelling in certain areas at night. Bandits, wild animals—it is certainly not the safest option out there. However, this is a peaceful area with no sounds in his proximity aside from the occasional insect or bird. He might be able to proceed a little further.</p><p><em>Guess I can easily set up another fire, </em>he thinks, getting to his feet. The cat only approaches again once Sylvain puts out the fire. Sylvain watches it, narrowing his eyes as a warning; the cat doesn’t listen, instead trying to drag his rucksack away.</p><p>“Give me that!”</p><p>Sylvain scoops up the rucksack, which appears to only be a distraction; Sylvain forgot to pick up his gloves sooner, and the cat races away with one in its mouth. Sylvain doesn’t react this time. Rather, he merely shrugs in dismissal.</p><p>“They’re just gloves I wear for style more than anything. You can have them.”</p><p>Apparently not the answer the cat is wishing for. It dumps the glove down, returning to Sylvain. Those glowing eyes scan over Sylvain, as though trying to figure out what to steal next.</p><p>Sylvain is one step ahead as he makes the most of the cat’s focus by kneeling down and scooping it up in one quick motion.</p><p>“There,” he says, holding the cat in front of him; it’s squirming in response. “I know you can understand me if you’re a pwca. I’ll let you go if you promise to stop bothering me, okay?”</p><p>The cat glares. It almost seems frustrated. Sylvain doesn’t have a clue as to why, other than it being a mischievous little thing which wants to bother him all night.</p><p>Sylvain’s hands soon hold much less fur. The cat temporarily transforms into a kitten instead to drop down from Sylvain’s hands, turning back to its preferred size to run away.</p><p>“A—<em>ha! </em>I <em>knew </em>you’re a pwca! Well, if you’d excuse me, I’m going to go ahead and—”</p><p>He’s not sure what happens. All he processes is a weight pressing against his chest, suddenly increasing in size, causing him to stumble to the floor. He grunts, back on the floor, and unable to get up because … A human is now sitting cross-legged on his torso?</p><p>No, not a human. Those shining amber eyes are the same. They now belong to a slim-faced man instead, cat ears perched on top of a head of navy hair. A matching tail swings idly side-to-side.</p><p>“This is a development,” says Sylvain, wondering if pwca choose what their human forms can look like, or if it’s a coincidence that this one in particular is especially beautiful.</p><p>“You’ll die.”</p><p>“That’s … vague. And threatening.”</p><p>The pwca rolls his eyes, as though his two word sentence should have spoken enough on its own. “I am an entity tied to this forest. There are malevolent spirits watching. If you were to leave the proximity of my land, they would kill you.”</p><p>“Oh. I see. Cool.” Sylvain lifts an eyebrow. “Is that why you were hiding my stuff?”</p><p>“Yes. It effectively stopped you from travelling further, had it not?”</p><p>“I mean, yeah. But you could have just told me from the get go.”</p><p>Silence. Apparently, the pwca had not been aware of this, or at least had not properly considered the option. “I don’t like speaking to humans unless I have to,” he eventually says.</p><p>“Well, one word of advice,” Sylvain waves his hand to the figure still sitting on his stomach, “sitting on them, while not exactly a bad thing when you’re pretty, isn’t exactly seen as socially acceptable.”</p><p>“Huh. Though it would be seen as normal if I was still fully in an animal form. Interesting.”</p><p>The pwca slides off Sylvain and gets to his feet. Sylvain does the same, noting how the pwca stands shorter than him. He stares upwards with those fascinating eyes, with a long ponytail flowing somewhat unnaturally from the breeze.</p><p>Sylvain can now also see the androgynous attire the pwca wears properly. A white shirt hangs off his shoulders, revealing a tattoo of a symbol he knows well; one representing protection from evil spirits. Golden jewellery falls down onto an open chest, and a corset is wrapped around his waist. His trousers, exposed at the knee and revealing loops of belts across them, are turquoise.</p><p>Which Sylvain notes is totally his colour. He has a knack for scanning over a pretty person’s appearance in a flash and processing all the best things about it.</p><p>“So what should I do, wise pwca?” says Sylvain.</p><p>“The spirits will likely not be hovering in this proximity forever,” says the pwca. “They bore easily and will move on. So stay the night in this forest, and you will be safe.”</p><p>“Okay, gotcha. Not too hard when I was only going to walk a bit further anyway.” Sylvain crouches down, reaching for his rucksack. “So, what is your name?”</p><p>“My name?”</p><p>“Do you not have one?” The pwca is silent. “Or is that too personal of a question?”</p><p>“I have no idea what you mean by a ‘name’.” The voice is … weirdly tense, as though he is struggling to lie. Sylvain sniggers.</p><p>“Of course you don’t. Let me guess: you have this cool, <em>super </em>secretive true name that you most certainly cannot utter to some human.” The pwca’s eyes narrow. “Don’t worry, you don’t have to say.”</p><p>But after a moment of silence, the pwca finally says, “Fine. The name I have occasionally been called in this form is ‘Felix’, I believe. Is that enough to satisfy you?”</p><p>“Very. I’m Sylvain! Sylvain Gautier.”</p><p>“I feel nothing from knowing this. Are humans supposed to find some kind of meaning in names?”</p><p>“Eh, sometimes.” Sylvain decides to not expand further, how it’s actually comforting for someone to not hear the name ‘Gautier’ and form a million assumptions about him, or to simply grow impressed or intimidated. He sits on the ground, now setting up his sleeping bag. “So, an actual pwca. Of course, I’ve heard of you, but I’ve never seen one before.”</p><p>“Many of us stay hidden,” says Felix. “Although there are some who are intrigued by humans enough to interact with you.”</p><p>“Yeah, you’re pretty mischievous, right? I’ve heard that a common thing is for you to entice others to ride on your back. Not to kill them, but give them a scary ride or something.”</p><p>“Yes. Often those who take the form of horses. But I am personally connected to the cat form you saw.”</p><p>“You were adorable. Still are, even.”</p><p>Sylvain grins when Felix lets out a sigh. “I would prefer not being referred to in such language, when I am in fact a benevolent entity.”</p><p>“Eh, whatever. Still cute.” Sylvain waves his hand in front of him. “Sit down! I’d like to learn more about you.”</p><p>“All I have to say are things you could find in textbooks.”</p><p>“Nah, I bet there’s more than that. Come on … Please?”</p><p>Felix’s head tilts slightly. Sylvain feels a sense of victory when he eventually sighs again, settling himself cross-legged on the ground in front of Sylvain.</p><p>“I should take this moment of your gregariousness to warn you further,” says Felix before Sylvain can do anything. “We do not lie when we speak of the dangers humans will encounter. Failing to heed our advice will likely result in grave consequences.”</p><p>The sound of this should probably worry Sylvain far more than it does. “Well, don’t worry, because I’m listening.”</p><p>“Good.”</p><p>“You’re not all that bad at talking, despite not being human. Really, what stopped you from actually having a normal conversation from the start?”</p><p>“It was fun.” The swaying of Felix’s tail increases in speed slightly. “I enjoyed bothering you.”</p><p>With a snort, Sylvain says, “Like a real cat, I suppose.”</p><p>“I also don’t fully understand how to communicate.”</p><p>“You’re speaking articulately.”</p><p>“Yes. Words are fine, for we can speak all languages. But I don’t understand human cues as much.” Felix pauses. “For example, you complimented me.”</p><p>“I did?”</p><p>“You have called me both ‘pretty’ and ‘adorable’. And I am of the belief that humans compliment others in order to gain something back from it. What would you gain in that moment, when you had already stopped me from stealing your possessions?”</p><p>Sylvain grins, rubbing the back of his neck. “It’s pretty much an illness, I guess. I simply can’t <em>not </em>compliment someone beautiful.”</p><p>“A peculiar illness.”</p><p>“No, I didn’t mean it literally. It’s a metaphor.”</p><p>“A metaphor?” Felix’s head tilts again, and Sylvain practically dies inside from the cuteness.</p><p>“It’s a figure of speech,” Sylvain explains. “A word or phrase is applied to something which is not literally applicable.”</p><p>“I believe I understand.” Another pause, and a flicker of Felix’s tail. “So this means you simply have such an urge to compliment those you find beautiful, it’s tantamount to the aggressiveness of an illness, something a human cannot simply remove from themselves.”</p><p>“Precisely. Sometimes I do want to gain something from that, though.”</p><p>“Such as?”</p><p>“Taking someone pretty on a date. Or taking them back to my room and having some fun, if you catch my drift.”</p><p>“I don’t understand a word you have said.”</p><p>Sylvain lets out a chuckle. “No, I guess you wouldn’t. Still, you seem to be pretty good at this regardless. It’s fun talking to you.”</p><p>To Sylvain’s surprise, Felix huffs, flicking his tail faster. “I am a powerful entity. It’s strange to find it enjoyable to speak to me in such a casual manner.”</p><p>“Yet here you are, talking to me.”</p><p>“I—yes. But humans do not pass through often. You are rather fascinating to me.”</p><p>“Well, you’re fascinating to me, too,” says Sylvain, smiling from ear-to-ear. “So I guess that makes the two of us, huh?”</p><p>“Of course you are fascinated by me. I am not human.” Felix’s eyes drift up to the sky. Only a hint of lighter blue remains there now. A sprinkling of stars decorates the darkness, with a near full moon peeking through some clouds. “It seems to be an hour in which you have to sleep. Perhaps that is for the best by now?”</p><p>“Ah, yeah. Maybe. I should start another fire …”</p><p>Felix watches curiously as Sylvain puts together some more firewood. Perhaps it’s Sylvain’s imagination, but he swears that Felix’s eyes grow a little wide when he conjures a fireball once again. Sylvain grins as he waves his hand to draft air onto the fire.</p><p>“What?”</p><p>“You can perform magic,” says Felix. “I hear those types of humans are rare. Although I should have expected it, with the power I sense from that.” His tail gestures to the Lance of Ruin, currently dim after a lack of usage.</p><p>“Yeah, pretty rare. Although even those without Crests are learning to perform magic.” Sylvain stretches out his sleeping bag, adding, “Awh. You know what would be really cute? If you turned back into your cat form and slept on my stomach. Or even <em>didn’t </em>turn back, I’m not fussy.”</p><p>“I do not require sleep, so resting with you seems pointless.”</p><p>“I guess it would.” Sylvain kicks off his shoes, resting back with his arms behind his head. “I won’t be going anywhere, so don’t think about stealing those, all right?”</p><p>“I shall not. I will leave you in peace.”</p><p>As promised, Felix does exactly this, transforming into his cat form and running away to do so. Even when those glowing eyes are out of sight, however, Sylvain swears he can still sense his presence.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>Warm sunshine filters through the trees when Sylvain wakes. He must truly be adjusted to sleeping in the wilderness if he has managed to sleep through in a place like this. His arms stretch either side of him, a noise escaping his lips. These arms reach above his head when he sits up, and …</p><p>“<em>Gah!”</em></p><p>“You’re awake,” says Felix, sitting at the end of Sylvain’s sleeping bag, hands resting on knees brought to his chest.</p><p>“How long have you been there?”</p><p>“Merely a minute, once I sensed you stirring.”</p><p>“Oh. That’s not too bad, I guess.” Sylvain runs his fingers through his hair to mildly tame it. “Do you really not sleep?”</p><p>“Not unless we are in peril.”</p><p>“You do have a way of saying vague, intense things without much context, don’t you?”</p><p>“If we are harmed greatly,” Felix says that little louder, “we sleep to recover. It can take anywhere from months to a century.”</p><p>“Ah.” Sylvain blinks. “A <em>century? </em>How old are you?!”</p><p>“I do not know. It appears some of my earlier memories left me.” Felix’s head lifts, ears pointed down slightly. “I only recall the last several decades.”</p><p>“Oh, I’m sorry.” And, because Sylvain’s horny brain shamefully has no bounds, “Well, you still look beautiful for an entity which has lived for that many years.”</p><p>“I don’t age.”</p><p>Sylvain lets out a sigh, smiling in amusement. He’s flirted with innocent people before, but this goes beyond innocence and into complete obliviousness. “Yeah. I guess you wouldn’t.”</p><p>He reaches for his boots, putting them on before rolling up the sleeping bag. He’d love to change and would be far from embarrassed over undressing in front of some cute guy with cat ears. It would simply be rather strange to have those glowing eyes stare in curiosity.</p><p>“Are you heading out of this forest?” asks Felix, watching as Sylvain returns items to his bag.</p><p>“Yeah. So long as those spirits are gone by now.”</p><p>“They have. You should be safe.”</p><p>“Don’t worry,” Sylvain teases. “I’ll survive and come back to visit you, how does that sound?”</p><p>“There is no need.” A pause, before Felix adds, “Although I should escort you out of this forest so you can leave as soon as possible.”</p><p>“<em>Obviously</em> that’s why you’d accompany me.” Sylvain throws the rucksack over his shoulder, smiling knowingly. “It’s not because you want to spend time with me at all.”</p><p>“Not at all. Pwca tease and taunt humans, not befriend you.”</p><p>“Sure, sure.” It hasn’t gone unnoticed that unlike other tales Sylvain has heard, Felix has been mellow, mostly finding himself completely curious by a human’s presence.</p><p>And so, the two proceed through the forest. Sylvain finds himself glancing at Felix often to observe his body language. His ears twitch commonly; every time Sylvain hears a noise in the distance, those ears do exactly this, and he realises how alike to a cat Felix is. Sylvain supposes it’s only natural when a cat is his favoured form.</p><p>It’s content to walk in silence with him. The sounds of the forest are relaxing. Although when Sylvain takes some fruit and nuts out of a bag on his hip to eat some breakfast as they walk along, he has to break the silence. “Do you eat?” asks Sylvain, popping a strawberry into his mouth.</p><p>“We have no need to.”</p><p>“But <em>can </em>you?”</p><p>“Yes. We are an evolved form of spirits, meaning our corporeal forms allow sustenance.”</p><p>“Huh. How does it feel to eat when you’re a spirit?”</p><p>Felix hums, swaying his tail. “I would not know. I’ve never tried it.”</p><p>“<em>What?!” </em>The sudden exclamation seems to startle Felix. “Sorry, I just—never, in your entire life?”</p><p>“Perhaps when I was younger, but like I told you, I cannot remember everything.”</p><p>“Still, that’s … You were never curious?”</p><p>“I suppose not.”</p><p>Something about the way those words are said makes Sylvain feel that little suspicious. Almost as though Felix has too much pride to admit that the idea of eating has piqued his curiosity before. Sylvain grins, taking a strawberry out from the bag.</p><p>“Here,” he says, tossing it to Felix. “Try it!”</p><p>“But I am a cat,” he says, dropping his eyes to the strawberry. “Fruits are not part of a cat’s diet.”</p><p>“No you’re not, you’re a pwca who prefers that form. You’re just trying to avoid it.”</p><p>“Perhaps.” A mumble, which almost causes Sylvain to chuckle. Felix holds the strawberry up to his face, eyes narrowing slightly. His mouth opens and he takes a tentative bite.</p><p>The reaction is glorious. Felix’s faces screws up with tightly closed eyes, and he spits out the little bit of strawberry. Even his tail has grown bushy. “Why does it taste like this?” Felix asks in dismay, turning the strawberry around. Glaring, as though this little fruit is his sworn enemy.</p><p>“It’s tangy and sweet.”</p><p>“Tangy and sweet. I despise it.” Emphasising his point, Felix tosses the strawberry on the ground. “I’m sure an animal will find that. Much better them than me.”</p><p>“Oh come on, don’t be dramatic,” Sylvain laughs. “So strawberries are a no … Here, I cloaked some cooked fish in ice magic. It’s still fresh.”</p><p>A small flash of fire returns the fish back to its normal state. Sylvain hands it to Felix, who now appears slightly less wary.</p><p>“You did not give me the best experience for my first bite of food.”</p><p>“This will be much better for you,” says Sylvain. “I promise.”</p><p>“Promise,” repeats Felix. “A declaration or assurance that you will do something or a particular thing will happen.”</p><p>“That’s right. And I’m not even lying.”</p><p>Felix’s head tilts slightly to the side, ears rising up. He’s so surprisingly … Is innocent the way to describe it? Simply adorably curious? Either way, Sylvain’s heart is bursting as Felix finally nods and takes the fish from Sylvain.</p><p>One bite. And another, <em>and </em>another.</p><p>“Do you like it?” Sylvain grins.</p><p>“It’s okay.” Another three bites. “What fish is this in particular?”</p><p>“Salmon!”</p><p>“Salmon. I believe this is what you deem as salty. It has a lot of flavour.” Felix licks his lips once finished. “You have redeemed yourself.”</p><p>“Why thank you, noble pwca,” says Sylvain, jokingly bowing.</p><p>The reaction sends his heart soaring; a smile on Felix’s face and a flicker of his tail.</p><p>They reach the ends of the forest far too soon for Sylvain’s liking. In fact, it doesn’t seem to be him alone who has this opinion; Felix’s ears have fallen down again, tail swaying much slower.</p><p>“Gonna miss me?”</p><p>“No,” says Felix. It’s half-hearted. “You’re a curious human. Annoying, egotistical, vain—”</p><p>“Uh, am I going to have any compliments?”</p><p>“But you are also smarter than you appear, and enjoyable to talk to. I do not recall speaking with a human this much before, and you have made it a pleasant experience.”</p><p>“Likewise with you as a pwca.” Sylvain holds a hand out to him. “I hope we meet again!”</p><p>He does this at all because he wonders if pwca have a formal farewell to give someone, although this turns out to be far from the case. Felix tilts his head when looking at Sylvain’s hand. And, with his index finger, pokes it.</p><p>Oh Goddess, someone this adorable cannot be real.</p><p>“You know,” says Sylvain, trying to contain himself. “I’ve been on foot for quite a while with only small breaks. Maybe a longer one would do me some good.”</p><p>“Yes. You would not want to exhaust yourself.” Felix’s eyes are on Sylvain’s, calculating.</p><p>“So how about I stay here for a few days and you tell me more? About you, your kind, this forest you inhabit … What do you say?”</p><p>Felix hums. He seems to be pretending to ponder this, when the smile threatening to break out on his face is incredibly telling. “Yes, I will be happy to do that. So long as you tell me about <em>your</em> life, as well as humans in general.”</p><p>“It’s a deal!”</p><p>And together, they head back into the forest, an unlikely bond forming between the two of them.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thank you for reading! This is a painting and fic combo--you can find the painting half on my Twitter, nikobynight.</p><p>Also forgot to mention that I'm considering writing more for this AU as I've grown super attached! If you'd like to see more, feel free to let me know.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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